British PM honours Masiyiwas

Econet Wireless founder, Strive Masiyiwa and his wife Tsitsi, were yesterday honoured by British Prime Minister Theresa May for their outstanding philanthropist work which has seen the couple providing education to over 20 000 underprivileged children.

BY Staff Reporter

Masiyiwa and Tsitsi founded Higherlife Foundation in 1996, a non-profit organisation that is investing in Africa’s future by empowering vulnerable children through education and creating opportunities for highly-talented young people.

Higherlife Foundation pays school fees for 20 000 students annually in Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Burundi. The couple has also established a $6,4 million scholarship fund that sends students to Morehouse College in the United States.

The Zimbabwean-born couple has also developed an online platform, Ruzivo Digital Learning, which provides curriculum-based digital learning resources and opportunities for hundreds of thousands of students every month.

The Masiyiwas are the latest recipient of the Points of Light award, which recognises outstanding volunteers who are making a difference in their community and inspiring others.

“By founding the Higherlife Foundation, you have demonstrated your shared commitment to improving the learning opportunities of children across Africa. You should be enormously proud of your tireless work supporting hundreds of thousands of children to improve their life chances by accessing quality education and training,” May said in a personal letter to the Masiyiwas.

In their acceptance speech, the couple said: “It is with great humility that we receive this award on behalf of our children, our group of companies and Higherlife Foundation. We are just the face of the incredible work done by the Higherlife Foundation team and all our partners, whom we consider the true heroes in spearheading this work.”